Hennepin County Library hardcover 288 pages
genre: non-fiction, memoir
This book had three main threads: a love of books and libraries, Tourette Syndrome, and Mormonism. I found all three interesting for very different reasons. I appreciate the author's honesty about his life and struggles.
page 3 - "I also work here because I love books, because I'm inveterately curious, and because, like most librarians, I'm not well suited to anything else. As a breed, we're the ultimate generalists. I'll never know everything about anything, but I'll know something about almost everything and that's how I like to live." This just resonates with me!
page 34 - As he writes about a teen library patron, I think of my students. His change of attitude when he's alone vs when he's with other teenage guys is not at all surprising. How do we get past the "it's not cool to like books, learning, etc." of teen boys?
page 52 - His teen reaction to bully Jason Lawson . . . so classically teen boy! It's a bit disheartening that his frustrated response (to God not answering his prayer to melt Jason's head) was to mutter "I hate God. I love the Devil." Later he mused "By uttering those words, I'd taken a risk and stepped toward the limits. . . . I'd put my hand out and tried to find the wall but there was nothing there."
page 72 - Reading his explanation of the levels of heaven and the Plan of Salvation (per the Mormon Church) frustrated me as a Christian, but I tried to keep an open mind. How did Joseph Smith come up with all of this? Why do so many people believe it? (I think I need to have a conversation with Power!)
page 82 - "We threw 'I love you' around like someone would murder us if we stopped." Again, interesting perspective on young love and the overuse of language that doesn't have depth of meaning. I appreciate his honesty, because I remember the guy I was "in love with" and planning to spend the rest of my life with . . . at age 13. And a different guy when I was 15 with the same plan. Sigh.
page 87 "Was I just a kid, experiencing a kid's immaturity and worry about the future? Was this just teenage melodrama? Even if that were true, wondering about it, acknowledging it in some way . . . wouldn't have made it feel true. What felt true was that I was wracked with panic and tears." His exploration of his feelings is powerful. Feelings are just that - neither good nor bad. I can't imagine trying to live with Tourette's the way he describes it's impact on himself. It makes me think of my students - which of them have it?
page 91-92 - When he writes about the patron who's mad because Christian writings are in the non-fiction section . . . "They're never annoyed that the healing power of crystals is advocated at great length one mere aisle away, or that the massive books of reptile-paranoia guru David Icke take up a square foot here and there. They accept that people who want to summon fairies would visit my department, but that anyone who prays to God or Gods is an imbecile who mustn't be tolerated." This is so maddening! But very true . . .
page 115 - "I was a twitchy, delicate little daffodil with feelings made of porcelain." His writing style is very engaging!
page 207 - A long lovely paragraph about libraries and why they're important ends with "I believe physical libraries always need to exist in some form." Amen!
page 213 - His discussion of libraries being "relevant" made me laugh. I almost want to scan and include the entire half-page, but I'm too lazy right now. I love his writing! (Okay, I uploaded a pic, below)
page 264 - When adult Josh is with his mom and his son Max, his mom says, "Josh, do you know what my favorite thing is? I mean, my very favorite thing?" "I'm not sure." "It's when the whole family comes for a holiday and you kids just sit around and laugh together. You don't have any idea what that feels like for me. There's nothing I look forward to more." Yes. I get it. I feel that way, too. I absolutely love when my adult children are together here. The author's mom seems to be an amazing person who did a great job raising her kids.
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